Achilles Tendon Injuries

Achilles Tendon Injuries

Overview

The achilles tendons are thick, powerful bands of fibrous tissues found at the back of the foot and ankle. This tendon connects your calf muscles to the heel bones and act as a crucial bodily structure that allows you to walk, run and jump. This means that achilles tendons experience high levels of stress, making these injuries quite common.

Overuse Injuries

The achilles tendon is susceptible to overuse injuries due to its everyday use. This scenario can occur when you’re walking and running during exercise or sporting events. This injury is a problem that many basketball players must be careful of – or any athlete who must jump a lot in their respective sport. A tendon injured from overuse becomes swollen and painful. This is called “tendinitis.” If not cared for properly, this condition can worsen into occurrences of chronic pain referred to as “tendinosis,” or a breakdown of tendon tissue.

Rupture

Another common injury is a tendon tear. This happens when the achilles is stretched too far during a quick or extreme leg movement. This typically occurs in people who play sports that require a lot of running with sharp turns and stops. When a tendon is torn completely, you may hear a pop when the tear occurs – it also may feel like you’ve received an impact at the back of the ankle. The tear is very painful and can make it difficult to walk after the injury.

Treatment

If you have injured an achilles tendon, it’s important to get proper care so you don’t experience ongoing problems. Minor injuries can be treated with rest, medications, custom foot orthotics and physical therapy. On the other hand, severe ruptures or tears are treated with a walking boot or cast following a surgical repair.

Achilles Tendon Injury Care in Chicago, IL

Achilles tendon injuries are very painful and you’ll want experienced help from certified orthopedists. The team at the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute is prepared to assist with any achilles tendon injury you’ve received. Contact your nearest IBJI location today to learn how we can improve your orthopedic health.